Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Dec 10: Former Karnataka chief minister and union external affairs minister S M Krishna passed away today at the age of 91. He had been battling age-related ailments and was admitted to a private hospital in Bengaluru. Despite receiving intensive medical care, he breathed his last earlier on Tuesday December 10.
Initially, SM Krishna was admitted to Vydehi Hospital for treatment of age-related health issues. However, after developing a lung infection, he was shifted to Manipal Hospital, where a team of doctors led by Dr Satyanarayana Mysore and Dr Sunil Karanth provided specialized care.
SM Krishna served as the Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from December 1989 to January 1993. Between 1971 and 2014, he was a member of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha during different periods of his illustrious political career.
In March 2017, S M Krishna, who had been a prominent leader in the Congress party for several decades, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He actively participated in the 2018 Karnataka Assembly election campaign before retiring from active politics.
A man of academic excellence, S M Krishna completed his undergraduate studies at Maharaja's College in Mysuru and pursued law at the Government Law College in Bengaluru. He furthered his education in the United States, earning a degree from Southern Methodist University in Texas. He was also a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship, which he used to study at George Washington University in Washington, DC.
During a visit to Maddur in August 2021, SM Krishna reflected on his decision to step away from politics, citing age and health concerns. He remarked, "I have been in politics for over 55 years. At my age, it is no longer feasible to continue in active politics."
Notably, SM Krishna inaugurated the Mysuru Dasara festivities in 2021, underscoring his enduring connection with Karnataka’s cultural heritage.